NECN PANEL DEBATES THE STATE OF THE MASS GOP

NECN Political Commentator Sue Connell invited three Republican activist on her program last evening to debate the future of the Mass Republican Party. The three were Lou Murray, Dennis Galvin, and Ed Lyons. Murray is the head of a Republican Catholic organization. Dennis Galvin is the Republican State Committeeman for the First Middlesex District and Ed Lyons is a Republican commentator, who has been published in Commonwealth Magazine, and is featured on WBUR. While the discussion was short, three key issues emerged. Why did Baker succeed while the GOP ticket failed ? How should Republicans relate to President Trump ? What is the future direction for the Mass GOP ?

Murray acknowledged the Governor’s success but hinted that the Governor walked away from the party during the election. He stated his belief that the Mass GOP was a big enough tent to accommodate a wide arrange of people, and offered his support for President Trump. He urged the party to stay true to its conservative roots.

Galvin acknowledged Baker’s success and said that Republicans could learn from his campaign, however he contrasted Baker’s performance with that of the Republican Party stating that the party organization failed the Republican ticket. Galvin described the controversy over President Trump as irrelevant to the real issues facing Massachusetts, which include the MBTA, a one party legislature and growing corruption in state government. He said that party must become the party of the “working people” of Massachusetts. The road to success means aligning with their needs and concerns.

Lyons said that party should model itself after Governor Baker, offering that he was the only success. He said that Trump posed a threat to the Republican brand in this state and ties to him should be diminished. He echoed Galvin’s comments that the party needed to change or it would face extinction, or perhaps worse, irrelevance.